Spragging device for coal and pit cars.



No. 810,778. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906. J. LEVAK. SPRAGGING DEVICE FOR GOAL AND PIT CARS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5,1905.

JOHN LEVAK, OF LEMONT FURNACE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRAGGING DEVICE FOR COAL AND PIT CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.-

Application filed October 5,1905. Serial No 281,513.

To all whom, it may concern 7 Be it known that I, JOHN LEVAK, a citizen of the United. States of America, residing at Lemont Furnace, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spragging Devices for Coal and Pit Cars, of which the following is a specification, refer ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in spragging devices for coal and pit cars; and the invention has for its primary object the provision of positive and reliable means for effecting a perfect chocking of the wheels of a car.

Heretofore it has been the practice to use an instrument, such as a piece of timber or a spike, for chocking the wheels of a car, this being accomplished by the attendant or operator of the car or train of cars placing a piece of timber or a spike between the spokes of the wheels and the framework of the car. In this operation it was only possible for the attendant to chock one wheel at a time, and in case the car formed part of a train it was necessary to cross over the car and chock the wheels on the opposite side, this operation incurring considerable labor and time, which in some instances is very valuable when a car is traveling at considerable speed.

My invention aims to provide a device for each end of a car which can be easily and quickly actuated to chock the wheels at each end of the car, and when the car is part of a train it Will be possible for the operator or attendant of the train to chock two wheels of each car before changing his position.

With the above and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a car equipped with my improved spragging device, a portion of the car being broken away to clearly illustrate the mechanism thereof. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a car, partly in section, il ustrating the spragging device carried by one end of the car.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a pinion used in connection with my improved device. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the same, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the actuatinglevers.

To put my invention into practice, I equip a pit-car 1 at each end thereof adjacent to the sides of the car, with pivotally-mounted arms 2 2, these arms being provided with teeth 3, that protrude through openings 4 4, formed in the sides of the car adjacent to the wheels 5 5 thereof. The opposite ends of these arms are pivotally connected to actuating-levers 6 and 7, said levers being slidably mounted between guides 8, 9, and 10, mounted upon the bottom 11 of the car 1. Between the guides 8 and 9 is revolubly, mounted a four-toothed wheel 12, which carries a pinion 14. The four-toothed wheel 12 is adapted to engage the confronting edges of the actuatingdevers 6 and 7, these edges being provided with notches or grooves 15 and 16, respectively, to receive the teeth of the wheel 12. Carried by the guides 8 and 9 and extending over the pinion 14 and the guide 10 is a bracket 17, which is employed in con nection with the bottom of the car for ournaling the pinion 14 and the toothed wheel 12 upon the car.

The end 18 of the car is provided with a plate 19, and between this plate and the end of the car is pivotally mounted a lever 20, carrying a toothed sector 21. The lever is provided with a suitable handle or knob 22. Between the plate 19 and the end of the car 18 is mounted an angular bar 23, which rests upon the guide 10 and extends outwardly into engagement with thepinion 14, the longitudinal edges of said bar being toothed, as at 24 24, in order that when the lever 20 is oscillated the pinion will be partially rotated through the medium of the reciprocating bar 23, which is actuated by oscillating the lever 20.

In case it is desired to chock the wheels 5 5 of a car it is only necessary to throw the lever 20, and through the medium of the bar 23 .the pinion 14 and the toothed wheel 12 will be partially rotated. This movement being imparted to the pinion and toothed wheel causes the actuating-levers 6 and 7 to move simultaneously either outwardly or inwardly, depending on the direction in which the lever 20 is moved. The movement imparted to the actuating-levers 6 and 7 will simultane- IIO.

ously move the arms 2 2 either to disengage the pins 3 3 from the Wheels or to force the pins between the spokes of the wheels 5 5.

It is thought from the foregoing that the construction, operation, and advantages of the herein-described spragging device will be apparent without further description, and various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a car, of arms pivotally mounted in said car adjacent to the wheels thereof, actuating-levers pivotally connected to said arms, a toothed wheel engaging said levers, a toothed angle-bar mounted in said car and adapted to actuate said toothed wheel, a lever pivotally connected to the end of said car and adapted when oscillated to reciprocate said'angle-bar, substantially as described.

. 2. In a spragging device, the combination with a car, of arms pivoted adjacent to the wheels of said car, actuating-levers pivotally connected to said arms, a toothed wheel engaging said levers, a lever pivotally connected tothe end of said car, means actuated by oscillating said lever to rotate said toothed wheel and thereby move said actuating-levers, substantially as described.

3. In a spragging device, the combination with a car, of two separate arms each'pivotally mounted adjacent to the wheels of said car, each arm being provided with a tooth eX- tending through an opening in the side of the car and adapted to be moved into engagement with said wheels, a lever pivotally connected to the end of said car and extending upwardly at right angles to the bottom of the car, means whereby said arms will be moved in unison by oscillating said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN LEVAK.

Witnesses:

J NO. BOYLE, PATRICK KANE. 

